All research and evidence on NICCO is reviewed using a Quality Assessment Tool (QAT) developed by the University of Huddersfield and Barnardo's.
Research and evidence is assessed in four key areas: Methodological Quality, Child-Centredness, Relevance to Policy and Strategy, and Relevance to Practice with offender's children. This ensures that items on the NICCO website are as useful as possible to academics, practitioners, commissioners and other professionals. For more information about the development of the QAT or to review research in order to list it on NICCO, please see the QAT webpage where you can download the Tool, Guidebook and a short step-by-step 'How To' document. Please contact us to submit quality assessed research on to NICCO.
Click on the icons to see a full list of items which have been awarded a standard icon or icon+ (for items which have scored particularly highly) in each key area:
Results 1 - 6 of 13
This Big Lottery funded study looks at resettlement of fathers. The article considers previous studies which have shown that parental imprisonment is a risk factor in the development in familial relationships and conversely considers the benefits to viewing families with strong ties as a resource for protecting children of prisoners and reducing reoffending.
The study is the first longitudinal study in the UK and Europe to investigate the positive and negative outcomes for parents and children using data collected from them. It considers the quality of family relationships, contact during imprisonment, communication and problem solving, parenting and care-giving, social support networks, stigmatisation, finances, employment, housing, participation in support programmes, health issues, social behaviour and other factors. The aim of the research is to increase knowledge of such processes and to assist the National Offender Management Service and third sector to develop more effective interventions for imprisoned fathers, their (ex)partners and their children.
See Risk and protective factors in the resettlement of imprisoned fathers below:
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This report presents the case studies of 15 families in Devon where the father is in prison.
The report aims to raise awareness of the emotional and practical impact that the imprisonment of a father has on his children and family, and also seeks to influence other agencies about the needs of these children. Based on in depth interviews with mothers and children, the report draws out some of the main impacts associated with having a father in prison - impact on the mother, impact on the children, maintaining invisibility, visiting and support. The report identifies learning points emerging from the interviews, which include poverty impacts on families, children knowing about prison and support networks. The report includes extensive quotes from the children and mothers interviewed.
See 'She just cries and cries' below:
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This is an overview of best practice in provision of services for children and families of offenders in Sweden and the United States.
The report reviews case studies which reflect on different apsects and stages of the countries' respective criminal justice systems (e.g. arrest, remand, court, sentencing, visits, support of children in women's prisons, parenting programmes, support for children of prisoners in the community and release) and how they might affect children of imprisoned parents. The case studies reviewed are compared to research in England and Wales and child centered policy and practice recommendations are made for the stages and aspects of the criminal justice system (noted above).
See Hidden Children below:
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This report is an evaluation of the effectiveness of the family support worker (FSW) role (which evolved from a partnership between Pact, who offer prison based support and Safe Ground who offer family relationships programmes to prisoners and families), which was piloted within 4 English prisons between 2009 and 2010.
The aim of this was to test the potential for developing a viable responsive casework service to prisoners, their children, families and supporters, the programme was funded by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS, Ministry of Justice) and the former Department of Children, Schools and Families (now Department for Education) The extent of the FSWs potential is uncovered by reporting on quantitative and qualitative data gained from FSWs, prison staff, other professionals, prisoners, their families and supporters. The data is also used to inform the framework for a possible national model. Key findings are that there is a need for FSW services to be tailored depending on prison characteristics. Half of the 928 service users (SU's) reached, only required one liaison with the FSW. There was a wide diversity of SU's e.g. prisoner type, family/supporter type, gender and ethnic origin. More than half of all cases involved a referral to other agencies. The large majority of SU need was around Prisoner and family contact, followed by Emotional and mental health, Children and Parenting as well as Money management. All FSW services were highly rated and valued. Prison staff also reported that FSWs contributed to prisoners' stability. The evaluation concludes that there is a high need for the FSW role and appropriate training and customisation so that it can be extended across the prison estate.
See this report on Prison based family support below:
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You will need a log in to Wiley Online Library to access the full article.
In light of the extensive research into parent-child relationships in the context of imprisonment of either and knowledge of the negative effects this can have on both, this peer-reviewed article reports on the under researched social and psychological effects of having a sibling in custody. This research in particular was conducted to enhance understanding of the needs and experiences of children who have a sibling inside. It is based on qualitative psychological analysis of the accounts of eight young people between the ages of 9 and 17 who had an older brother in custody. The key themes identified are the emotional response to a sibling being taken into custody, hesitance in disclosing information to teachers and peers, and perceptions of their own behaviour when taking their siblings imprisonment into account. Findings are considered along side policy implications and recommendations for those working with young people in the area of criminal justice.
Read about siblings' experiences of an older brother inside below:
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This is the final evaluation of the Integrated Family Support Service (IFSS) which started in 2011.
Funded by the Department for Education and National Offender Management Service and run in partnership between Pact in the South of England and Wales and NEPACS in the North East, the service is staffed by a combination of two roles; community based Integrated Family Support Advocates (FSAs) and prison based Integrated Family Support Workers (FSWs). The aim of the IFSS is to ensure early intervention for service users by local authority services, access to all of the local resources to which service users are entitled, better and more efficient access to support services, FSAs and FSWs worked together to decrease the chance of reoffending and intergenerational crime and to a build a bridge between prison and community. This good practice guide brings together the learning from the IFSS and is aimed at those working in family support services, local authorities and prisons, as well as those interested in commissioning family support services. It consists of substantive research with staff and service users. Case studies, learning outcomes, feedback and key issues in developing good practice are reported on in the seven key areas of:
1. Awareness raising (e.g. training quality, context and specificity).
2. Early interventions (e.g. linking to existing early intervention strategies, information sharing between and merits of different organisations e.g. prisons and children's services).
3. Efficient service delivery (e.g. positive working relationships between workers, families and prisoners).
4. Achieving cultural change (From the bottom up).
5. Improving family relationships (e.g. not just as a means of reducing reoffending, importance of family days and links to the community).
6. Service user involvement and peer support (e.g. appropriateness, training and skills gained by families).
7. Staff supervision and support (e.g. importance of locality, expertise and strategic placement).
Please read the report on the Pact website, or download the full report below:
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